A Fateful Wind
by 1Fullmetalfan
Summary: This is a story about a girl who once felt she didn't have a purpose in life. But after crossing paths w/ the Elric Brothers, she quickly finds herself caught in their struggles & striving to help them reach their ultimate goal: obtaining the Philosopher's stone.
1. Chapter 1

It was quite an unexpected visit when the Central military suddenly arrived in East City. The reason was unknown, kept a secret, although clearly something had gone wrong in Central City. Basque Grand, along with the other higher-ups, deliberately kept the reason from Colonel Mustang as well. And despite of all the commotion, the East City soldiers had to somehow cope with it. Most of them spent their time in the mess hall, chatting with their Central comrades.

An unpleased girl swung open the mess hall doors. As the closed behind her, she hung her head low in disgust and sighed. She knew right there that the rumors were true. She and her uncle weren't the only soldiers arriving from Central. The entire mess hall was crowded with the Central newcomers. "And I thought they were joking," sarcastically she grunted, stuffing her right hand into a pocket of her jean shorts. This conclusion caused her lips to curve into a frown, and she heavily moved down an isle of tables. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the constant chatter that arose from the soldiers. However, one voice sliced through the barrier that she built.

"Look! Can you believe how big Elicia's gotten?" called out the familiar voice, too familiar that it was impossible for her to ignore. The girl turned in its direction and stormed over to a table, all the while locking her eyes on a black-haired man in uniform. He was completely oblivious to the irritated teen behind him and continued to ramble on to the person across from him. "She can even ride a tricycle now! She follows me everywhere on that thing like my own escort of cuteness!" In addition, the man held a photo in his hand.

Without a second thought, the girl forcefully snatched the photograph from his hand, cursing "Damn it, Maes! Why must you always carry these around?!"

The man's eyes widened with confusion. He blinked them twice, staring aimlessly at his now empty fingers. Recognizing the voice, his lips curved into a warm, welcoming smile and he glanced over his left shoulder. "Well that's an obvious question, Rae—to show everyone my beautiful daughter Elicia!" he exclaimed, squirming on his stool so much that the intensity of his love could be seen in the form of floating hearts.

Rae's face went blank. She dropped her shoulders and sighed, "I'm sure by now everyone in this building knows just how beautiful she is, Uncle."

Maes chuckled lightly. "So how'd that meeting with Roy go?"

"Don't remind me," the brunette answered, taking a seat on the stool beside him. She breathed out sigh and placed her arms on the surface of the table. Just then, from across the table came another voice.

"So, the Colonel's got you on a leash too?"

Rae closed her eyes for a moment and smirked. "Not entirely," she replied. When she finally looked across the table, she was utterly surprised to see the face of an old friend. Perhaps it was the idea that she, until now, had not noticed his presence that caught her off guard. After all, the boy appeared to be the same as he did three years ago, except for the minor change in his black undercoat. How was it possible to not see him?

To hide her embarrassment, Rae closed her eyes once more and smirked. "Well, if it isn't the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"Judging by your reaction, I'd say you're happy to see me," grinned the boy.

Rae's eyes shot open. "I am not! You just surprised me!" She glanced to the side, not wanting to see the intimidating look she was sure he had on his face.

The boy laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

"-And you haven't grown any taller," spat Rae.

The boy stood up in an instant. "What did you say?!"

"You _heard_ me."

Edward grit his teeth. "Why you little-"

It was quite evident that Ed and Rae's relationship hadn't changed over the years. They were still at each other's throats the minute something set them off. However, this wasn't in the least bit surprising to Maes. The memory of when the two alchemists met was still very fresh in his mind. After all, that was the day his daughter Elicia was born. It was shortly after he invited the Elric Brother's over when he found himself racing up the stairs, swinging open a bedroom door, and seeing his beloved niece standing over a beaten Edward with a broom in her hands. Apparently, Rae was convinced the boy had been spying on her and decided to take action. Needless to say, the two have not gotten along since, and Maes was usually stuck in the middle of their quarrels. When he finally came back to reality, the first thing Maes heard was Rae's rather unpleasant remark.

"I don't need a broom to kick your ass!"

At this point, Maes had enough. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Knock it off you two," he said, and both Ed and Rae dropped to their stools. Although they were now silent, the two alchemists continued to stare each other down. Meanwhile, Maes tried to change the subject. "Oh, By the way Ed. I'm a lieutenant colonel now," he stated, holding up a finger, "Got me in charge of Court Marshal Investigations."

"Sounds fun-filled-beyond belief," Edward muttered, now taking his eyes off of Rae, "Shouldn't you be in Central then?"

"Why? So I can work in a bunch of empty offices?" Maes asked, bluntly, "All the major big-wigs are fleeing Central as fast as they-" As the Fullmetal Alchemist's face lit up in surprise, Rae elbowed her uncle, ending his sentence and causing him to change the subject once more. "Nevermind! So Ed! Uh, how's that search going for the, uh, you-know-what stone?" He leaned toward the boy, unsure if he wanted Rae out of the conversation.

Edward's gaze switched to the surface of the table. "Well," he began, "we're closer, or I'd like to think we are. Right now, I'm looking for a man named Marcoh who might have an answer for me. But I can't get Mustang to tell me what he's got on him."

Rae's eyes widened when she overheard the name 'Marcoh'. At the same time, Maes added a remark, playing along as if she had not heard. "Well, have you considered he might not have anything?"

"No," Ed answered, "Roy Mustang's hiding stuff from me. I can definitely tell-" his sentence was cut short, for the lighting above them dimmed.

"Did I hear you say the name Marcoh, Fullmetal?" a figure then asked, and the three glanced up to see it was the Brigadier General towering above them.

"Brigadier General Grand," Maes said sternly.

"The Iron Blood Alchemist," Ed added, "What do you want?"

"What do you want with Marcoh? He's a filthy deserter," Grand retorted, folding his arms. "Six years ago, a brigade of state alchemists was called on to neutralize the Eastern Rebellion. Marcoh was in their ranks, but he went awol before the battle was done. The coward's been missing ever since." As Iron Blood finished his lecture, his eyes focused on Rae. "And why are you here? A worthless alchemist like you should have stayed in Central."

A smile crept across Rae's face. As she closed her eyes and stood up to leave, Edward watched her. He watched as she said goodbye to her uncle, as she glanced at Grand, turned away and said nothing. He couldn't believe it. Rae, of all people, had nothing to say? This wasn't like her at all.

Grand's eyes followed the brunette as she walked away. He was unhappy with her response and wasn't going to allow her to leave without one last comment. "You're a coward just like your father," he said with a twisted smirk.

The Wind Alchemist came to a stop. She hung her head and clenched her fists. It appeared as though she was holding herself back, as if she wanted to say something but knew she shouldn't. Her fists began to shake, and she bared her teeth in frustration. She then stepped forward and went for the doors, all the while ignoring her uncle's calls and the many staring alchemists around her.


	2. Chapter 2

Leaving the East City Mess Hall, Rae paced heavily down a hall. Her arms were folded, her cheeks were flourished, and her teeth were bared. It was amazing how a few simple words could change her mood on a dime. Over and over, the Brigadier General's comment echoed in her mind. The man knew well she couldn't stand him. She loathed him with a passion.

The distressed brunette shook her head furiously side-to-side and clenched her eyes shut. Being completely oblivious to her surroundings, she swerved around a hall corner and crashed face-first into a figure. It held its ground firmly and stared bewilderingly at the reckless young alchemist. She fell backward and landed flat on her butt, which was more of a reflex rather than a movement caused by impact. Embarrassed by her careless actions, Rae cursed under her breath and slowly lifted her gaze from the floor to the person she had collided with. A warm, welcoming smile soon replaced the frown on her face once she realized who it was.

"M-Miss Anderson! I'm so sorry!" apologized Sergeant Fuery, all the while frantically holding out his hand to help her up.

As she took his hand and was lifted to her feet, Rae shook her head. "No need to apologize. It was clearly my fault."

"But are you hurt?"

She brushed off her clothes and looked back to him with a smile. "No. I'm fine, really."

The looks on Rae's face made the young man blush. "Well that's good."

"Anyway," Rae began, finding it to be the right moment to ask a rather important question. She had been walking the halls without a clue as to where she was going. Quite frankly, she needed directions. "It's a good thing I ran into you." She then paused, realizing how literal her word choice was, and scratched the back of her head. "Do you mind showing me the dorms? East City Headquarters is quite a maze."

"Not at all," Kain replied in a sweet, almost delighted tone. Rae, of course, did not pick up on this behavior and proceeded to follow the young soldier when he turned the other way and began walking down the hall.

After traveling down a number of hallways, the two reached their destination. The only thing left to do was to find an open room for Rae and her uncle to share. Unfortunately, this was no simple task, for Rae was not the only soldier from Central who was in need of a place to stay.

"This is ridiculous," the brunette groaned after searching down a number of halls. "Are ALL the rooms taken?"

"Well, East Headquarters is temporarily serving as Central Command, so I guess this is no surprise," Fuery answered; his eyes followed Rae as she checked one door after another.

Rae stopped in the middle of the hall and sighed. "Yeah, I know. But I never imagined it was going to turn out this way."

Fuery's eyes widened slightly. "So you know why they're here?"

Rae turned to look at him. "Yeah, well, about that-" Unfortunately for Kain, who seemed rather eager to hear the outcome, the conversation ended when Rae overheard a faint rustling sound from a nearby room. "Did you hear that?" she asked him, turning in the direction of room and walking towards it.

"Hear what?" asked Fuery who did not pick up on the mysterious sound.

"It's coming from this room," Rae said as she stopped in front of a door and noticed it was opened slightly. She then placed her hand on the doorknob.

"Wait a minute, Rae!" Kain said frantically, "You're not really going inside, are you?!"

Rae had tuned out the young man's voiced. She was too focused on that sound, which was becoming more familiar to her with every second. She determined it was hard like steel, large and yet hollow. She began to put the pieces together until a familiar image came to mind. 'Could it be?' she thought to herself and then pushed open the door.

"Eck! Rae!" Kain called, but found it futile.

Rae stood in the doorway with her hand still on the handle. The room was dark. The only light in the room was emitting from the window, which was very little due to the down-pouring rain on the other side. A large figure on the ground gleamed in the dim light, and Rae had to narrow her eyes to distinguish it. "Alphonse…" She breathed out, almost in a whisper. She did not speak in the form of a question, but rather in relief. Before anything else could be said, Fuery emerged from behind her and broke the silence.

"Please forgive us, Sir! We did not mean to intrude!" He took Rae by the hand and began pulling her into the hall. "Let's go, Rae!"

Rae's hand released the doorknob as Kain proceeded to pull on her. She then planted her feet and held her ground, all the while yelling "Hey, wait a minute!"

"Rae, is that you?" a voice called from inside the room. It was soft, like a young boy, and it caused both Kain and Rae to stop. Rae smiled, pulling herself free from Kain.

"I thought it was you, Alphonse."

"It's Al?" Fuery asked as he peered over Rae's shoulder.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Rae said, stepping forward and into the room.

"It sure has! Wait until I tell Brother!" the voice from inside the armor grew louder, in a delighted tone.

"There's no need to. I've already seen him," Rae responded as she sat down on the lower level of the dorm's bunk bed.

The armor sat up in surprise. "Really? When?"

"About a half hour ago."

"How did he take it?"

"Well, you know him. He has a tendency to hold a grudge about certain things," Rae answered, rather sheepishly.

"Yeah," Alphonse said, knowing exactly what incident she was talking about. "Sorry about that."

Meanwhile, Kain, who was still standing in the doorway and having no idea what the two alchemists were talking about, decided to cut in. "Well, I guess I'll be going then."

"Oh, right. Thanks for all your help," Rae said to him with a faint smile.

"It was my pleasure."

The three said their goodbyes and Kain closed the door as he left the room. The room was now even darker, although the two alchemists didn't seem to mind it. They were too busy catching up with each other. After all, it had been three years since they had last seen each other.

"So what are you doing in East City Headquarters anyway?" Al asked.

"What do you mean?" Rae returned. She dug her hand into the right pocket of her shorts and pulled out a sliver watch. "I'm part of the military now."

Al gasped. "You took the State Alchemy Exam? When?"

"Of course I did, silly. I took it earlier this year."

"But-" the suit of armor began, but stopped when he noticed Rae had suddenly widened her eyes. "What's wrong?" Rae did not answer him, but instead slowly lowered her gaze to her feet. To her surprise, she saw a small, yellow kitten brushing against her leg. It didn't take long for her to conclude this was Alphonse's doing, and she finally responded.

"Al?"

"Yes?"

"Care to explain why there's a cat in here?"

Alphonse flinched and began to fiddle with his fingers. "Well, I found him out in the rain. He was wet and hungry."

"That's sweet of you Al, but you know animals aren't allowed in the dorms," reminded Rae.

"I know, but I couldn't just leave him out there."

"Does your brother know?"

Alphonse looked down at the floor. "Yeah, but he's not happy about it."

Judging by the boy's reaction, Rae could tell Ed and Al had an argument over the cat and it was never resolved. She was not the kind of person to follow simple rules like this one if it meant causing harm to something so innocent. She loved animals. She owned a dog herself. Therefore, she felt it was best to try to comfort the boy. "Well then. I guess I'll just have to talk to him."

"You really think you can convince him?" Al asked, a little doubtful.

"I'll find a way." Rae answered, smiling with her eyes closed.

Alphonse stared at her, watching as she scooped up the cat, placed it in her lap, and began to stroke its fur. He sighed softly in relief, "Thanks".

Rae continued to smile and stroke the cat. "So what have you and your brother been up to for the past few years?"

The suit of armor glanced towards the window, as if attempting to see through the muggy glass. "Oh, nothing, really."

"Oh really?" Rae quirked a brow in disbelief. "There has to be something." Al remained silent, as if there were some things he didn't want to talk about. Rae noticed this, and added "Come to think about it, the last time I saw you and Ed was shortly after he was certified."

"Yeah, Brother was given his first assignment," Al said, speaking once again.

"I heard about that. It sounded like it was quite a pain for you guys."

"Yeah, it was."

For the next couple of hours, the two spent their time catching up, chatting about their lives and some of the things they did. When Rae glanced up at the clock, it was 6:00. She stood up from the bed, lifted her arms in the air, and stretched. "We'll I'm beat. I'm gonna go."

"You're tired?" Al asked.

Rae brought her arms back to her sides. "Yeah, I didn't sleep much on the train ride here. It's not really a good idea to sleep in front of my superiors. It gives off a bad impression."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. By the way, why are you he-"

Rae cut him off. "I'll tell you tomorrow. It's a long story and I'm exhausted."

"Oh, alright then." Al replied, although finding it strange that she didn't want to explain even though they had just been talking for hours.

Well, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, have a good night."

"You too, Al," Rae returned as she walked to the door. Once she was outside and the door was closed, she sighed softly and stared at the floor for a brief moment. A smile crept across her face, and she raised her head, stepped farther into the hallway, and continued her search for her room.


	3. Chapter 3

An entire day had passed since Rae privately talked with Alphonse Elric, and Rae was slightly surprised because of it. She had witnessed a military battle assessment that day, and although it was unusual to see the military hold such an event, she found herself interested in the outcome. After all, it was the Colonel and the Fullmetal Alchemist who were battling it off. Such a fight brought happiness to her heart, especially during the moments when the Colonel was caught off guard. However, her enjoyment didn't last long. It seemed only minutes before Rae found herself waking up the following morning to the beating of the rain against her dorm's window.

Despite the unpleasant weather, Rae woke from a peaceful sleep. She sat up in bed and stretched her arms in the air. While doing so, she hazily glanced around the room, found the clock on the wall, and yawned deeply. She was quick to realize that it was 10:30 in the morning and her uncle was long gone. However, this wasn't surprising. When it came to sleep, Rae was the complete opposite of Maes. He was what you would call an "early bird", and she definitely wasn't.

After undressing and changing into her usual clothes, Rae stepped outside the door. She traveled down a number of halls and found the building to be unusually empty. Rather suspicious, she changed her course of direction and headed for a particular office room. She had a strong feeling that Colonel Mustang was hiding something from her. She just knew it.

With the anger inside her gradually rising, the brunette quickened her pace. She turned down the hall leading to her destination and just when she thought she could reach it without delay, she came across Jean Havoc and Heymans Breda. Knowing them well, she knew something was up when they, at the sight of her, ended their conversation. Their strange behavior bothered her, but nonetheless she continued on her way.

Of course, that wasn't the end of Havoc and Breda. These soldiers had a mission to fulfill and weren't going to allow their target to get away from them, or at least, not without a fight. The two couldn't bear to picture the kind of punishment they would endure for failing orders. After all, their orders where given strictly by Colonel Mustang. They couldn't help remembering his exact words.

_"I'm putting the two of you in charge of keeping Wind inside headquarters, and no matter what happens, KEEP HER AWAY FROM ME."_

It wasn't until the lieutenants left Mustang's office when they understood what he meant. Scar was recently spotted that morning, so to keep Rae out of harm's way the Colonel intended to keep her inside East City Headquarters. As considerate as that may seem, the Colonel knew well Rae would see it differently. Being confined while Maes and the Elric Brothers were in a town with reported Scar sightings was something she could not do. Thus, the Colonel secretly assigned her two humble babysitters.

As much as Havoc and Breda loathed their assignment, they had no choice but to pursue it. They quickly snapped back into reality and dutifully went to work. While Breda followed closely behind, Havoc stepped up to the plate and walked beside Rae. "Hey, Squirt. Where yea headin'?" came the man's playfully tease.

Rae shot a quick glance at him, slightly irritated by his comment. As she looked forward, she asked bluntly, "Is Roy here?" She didn't bother to fully answer his question.

Havoc flinched. "Yeah, but what's the hurry?"

"I need to speak to him."

The soldiers exchanged uneasy looks. Obviously, they didn't have a plan. They remained silent for a brief moment until Havoc stuttered an out-of-the-blue question. "H-hey! Aren't you hungry? You haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"

"Yeah! Why don't you come with us to the mess hall?" Breda added, playing along.

This was getting pathetic. Rae knew they were trying to stall her. As she came to a stop, she briefly turned and narrowed her eyes. In response, the soldiers stopped on a dime and leaped back a couple feet. Perhaps they thought she was going to hurt them, although Rae didn't have that in mind. Instead, she stared at them both and stated the obvious. "You two are acting very strange today."

As Rae was about to turn around and continue on her way, Havoc took hold of her shoulder. "Easy there, Kiddo. The Colonel's busy anyway."

"I don't care." Rae spat, pulling herself free and walking off.

As a last resort, Havoc chased after her, snatched her arm, and pulled her to a stop. Outraged, Rae spun around and glared at him. "Alright, out with it! Why is HQ empty?! Is HE here?!"

The lieutenants widened their eyes in astonishment by how quickly she caught on to the situation. While Havoc sighed, Breda stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Sorry Rae. The Colonel gave orders to keep you here 'til things clear up."

"Is that so?" Rae murmured softly, pulling herself free from Havoc's grip, "We'll see about that." Spinning around, she was just about to dash off when Havoc, out of impulse, leaped forward, tripped, and grabbed hold of one of her legs. Thinking his weight would keep her still, the man was in utter surprise when he found himself being dragged to the Colonel's office.

Meanwhile, Breda stood momentarily stunned. When he finally woke from his daze, Rae was already at the door. He frantically raced after her, only to find that he arrived a second too late. The damage had been done, for there was the Colonel, sitting at his desk, glaring blankly at the now open doorway.

"You've got some nerve, Colonel!" Rae hissed, staring back at her superior with venomous eyes.

Roy sighed and went back to what appeared to be paperwork. "I don't have time to argue with you, Wind."

"And yet you have the time to sit around and do nothing while that bastard is-"

"Are you forgetting who you are talking to?" the Colonel snapped, looking up. "Know your place, Wind!"

Rae bared her teeth in frustration. She was quick to realize how correct he was and lowered her eyes to the floor. Seeing her reaction, Roy leaned back in his chair, composing himself. He studied her face for a moment and could tell she was more upset with herself than anything at this point. "Tell me, Rae," he then added, "What is it that you want from me?"

The brunette looked up from the floor and looked him in the eyes. "I want you to stop treating me like a child and let me help for once."

As Mustang stared back at her, he quickly responded. "Fine. I'll stop treating you like a child when you start acting like an adult."

Rae's eyes widened with disbelief. Was the Colonel right? Had she acted so reckless around the military that her image had been reduced to that of a child's? Such questions flooded her mind until she finally came to terms with herself and breathed out one last word.

"Fine."


	4. Chapter 4

Rae was in a trance. She was staring outside, or at least attempting to, the backseat window of a slow moving vehicle. It was down pouring, making it almost impossible to see anything on the other side of the glass. Colonel Mustang, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, noticed this and couldn't help but wonder what the young alchemist was thinking about. He noticed how quiet she had been since they talked in his office and this gave him reason to believe she was still hung up on it. On top of that, other than telling her that Scar had been spotted and they were going to investigate, he didn't inform her on the major details of the situation, such as the fight between Major Armstrong and Scar or that the Elric Brothers were somewhere in the same city. The Colonel knew well this information would upset her and therefore felt it was necessary to keep it from her and remain quiet for the rest of the car ride.

After what seemed to be a twenty-minute drive, the group arrived at their destination. The rain had now died down to a light drizzle, making it easier to distinguish the surrounding area. Rae opened the door on her right and attempted to climb out of the car. However, to her dismay, her foot landed in a pothole, which due to the rain had now become a deep puddle. _Well_, Rae thought, frowning, _Today just keeps getting better and better._ She proceeded to step out of the car, all the while zipping up her coat as far as it could go. The vehicle was parked beside a set of concrete steps which led to housing on an upper level. As she closed the door, Rae glanced around and watched as soldiers moved about the area. She quickly noticed how most of the soldiers were on the upper level, which led her to believe Scar had been spotted there. But before she could make a move, Colonel Mustang stepped beside her.

"Come with me," the man said, and without another word, he stepped forward. The brunette frowned, not liking the idea of being on his invisible leash. Nevertheless, she did what she was told and followed him up the steps. Once at the top, the two soldiers turned down an alley to their right and spotted Jean Havoc.

"Lieutenant Havoc," Rae called, causing the man to turn around and face them. The lieutenant called back to her, but Rae's attention was quickly drawn to an enormous crater beside him.

As Rae hurried over to the crater, Colonel Mustang stopped beside Havoc and asked, "Have you found him yet?"

"Not yet, Sir."

The two men conversed as Rae peered into the crater. She watched as Heymans Breda and Kain Fuery moved aside large concrete slabs. Upon hearing the conversation between the men behind her, Rae turned around to face them. "Who are we looking for?" she asked, but was unable to receive an answer as Breda's voice called from below.

"Colonel, we found him!"

As she turned back to the crater, Rae eyes widened at the sight of a large human figure, one she quickly recognized as Major Armstrong. This came as quite a shock to Rae, for she had never seen the Major in such a weakened state before. He was always so strong and overpowering; never once did she think he could be beaten to the point where he could barely hold himself up. Even so, Rae's mind switched back to the matter at hand. _Scar. This must be Scar's doing. Who else could cause this much damage?_

The young alchemist was awoken from her daze by the sound of footsteps. As she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Havoc walking towards a ladder that led to the bottom of the crater. She decided to follow them. Once at the bottom, Rae stood beside Havoc and Fuery, while the Colonel walked over and knelt in front of Armstrong.

"Come on. Talk to me, Major. What happened?" Mustang asked, but before he could get an answer, the sound of crumbling debris came from behind him. Everyone turned their attention towards the ladder, where they saw Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, standing on a rather unstable slab of concrete.

"Close call," Hughes said as he tried to balance himself while stepping off the slab.

"Maes," Rae called with a faint smile, happy to see her uncle.

Hughes smiled back at her. As he walked over to group, the look on his face became serious, and he glanced to his right. "This is turning into a real mess."

"That's a hell of an understatement," Havoc returned, "What about Grand?"

"We found him on the road a few blocks up," the Lieutenant Colonel added, looking down, "Let's just say there will be some promotions unless Iron Blood can survive his brain turning into hamburger meat."

"What?" Rae gasped, finding such news hard to believe.

"But he was the Brigadier General. He was an expert in hand-to-hand, right?" Sargent Fuery said, having difficulty comprehending it as well.

Maes shrugged, not having a response. While everyone stood silently, processing the information, Maes gave Mustang a look as if to motion him to come closer. Mustang did so, and Maes whispered something to him. Shortly after, the Strong Arm Alchemist began to speak, making everyone to face him.

"That man…He's an Ishbalan, I'm sure of it. I saw his red eyes-"

"Just stay down. You're hurt," Hughes warned.

Armstrong continued. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel. You sent me with direct orders and I failed. I hope Elric is okay."

Rae eyes widened upon hearing a familiar name. _Edward? Was he somehow involved in this?_ The thought of her old friend being mixed up in this scared her, and she felt she could no long stand aside as a bystander. She had to find him.

The men inside the crater conversed for a bit, chatting with Armstrong and learning more about the situation at hand. It was then Hughes looked over his shoulder to where Rae had been standing. "Rae, I want you to-" The man began, but ended his sentence and gasped when he realized she wasn't there. His eyes searched the enclosed area, but found her nowhere in sight.

"Oh no, Roy! She's gone!"


End file.
